Have to choose between these processors - need help!

[jakobkraft]

Am total noob to latest processors - which is the better processor for gaming?

Intel® Core?2 E8300 (6MB,2.83GHz, 1333FSB)

or

Intel® Core?2 Q6600 Quad-Core (8MB L2 cache,2.4GHz,1066FSB)

Sorry if that's a stupid question. I get the feeling that it is...


thanks in advance...!

 

[Erock]

2 very solid processors, you really can't go wrong with either. What do you plan on using this machine for? Provide a bit more detail?

 

[jakobkraft]

Originally posted by: Erock
2 very solid processors, you really can't go wrong with either. What do you plan on using this machine for? Provide a bit more detail?

The usual, multimedia, some video editing, with a special emphasis on gaming, which I'm just getting back into...

 

[Cogman]

Depends on how much an emphasis on gaming you want to put. The E8300 will be the better gaming CPU (not by much mind you) where as the Q6600 will be the better video encoder (as long as you us the right encoders, x264...). Personally I would go with the quad as I see them becoming even more useful in the future of all applications.

 

[Erock]

The Q6600 may stay more "in trend" as programs begin to utilize all 4 cores. But if you're not running much in the way of multi thread programs then the E8300 may suit you a little better.

 

[imported_Woody]

I think you can pick up an E8400 for only a few dollars more than the E8300 so it doesn't make a lot of sense getting the E8300 anyway. The E8400 will be faster for most games and if you overclock you will find a lot more speed from the dual core than the quad core for pretty much all current games.

If video crunching is your thing the quad will do much better with most applications so you have to consider your priorities. If you're on a budget the E8300/E8400 is cheaper and the money saved could be put toward a faster graphics card giving you even higher gaming performance for the overall system cost.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

the real question between the two is which L2 cache does better the 8 shared on the 6600 or the 6 for the 8x00 series... id stick with the newer 45nm using the hafnium

 

[Sunrise089]

At stock speeds get the quad, but you still shouldn't. If you don't want to OC you need to consider the E8500 vs the Q6600, and there you see enough of a clock speed difference to matter. If you're going to OC again get the dual part since maximum OCs will likely lead to a larger clock speed spread.

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

I've seen the e8300 for ~150. I'd get the 8300 as to not waste the energy, and to have the ability for higher clocks

 

[imported_Woody]

Originally posted by: Comdrpopnfresh
I've seen the e8300 for ~150. I'd get the 8300 as to not waste the energy, and to have the ability for higher clocks

It's a good thought but once you start running the chips at the same speeds they will theoretically consume the same energy. Also keep in mind that since the chips are otherwise identical and binned, the E8500 would probably be the most efficient followed by the E8400, E8300. then the E8200 last.

My only problem with the E8500 is that it's 30% more money then the E8400 for 5% more speed. If operating on a budget you should spend that price difference on a faster graphics card, more RAM, or a faster hard drive for an overall faster system. Where the E8400 is about 8% more money than the E8200 for 12% more speed.

 

[betasub]

Originally posted by: BTRY B 529th FA BN
id stick with the newer 45nm using the hafnium

mmm... hafnium... <drool>

 

[nerdye]

Get the quadcore, it can be OC'd easy with stock voltages and even a POS intel stock heatsink/fan that comes with it at retail. Quads crush dualcores in all encoding and video tasks, you will be much happier in the long term with more cores. Sure a 2.8ghz core 2 dual core will outperform a 2.4ghz quad core in many game engines, but look at Unreal 3 engine, it benefits greatly from more cores, expect this trend to continue. More cores FTW!

 

[Drsignguy]

If you don't upgrade often get the Q6600. As others have said video encoding, gaming and Future apps will have it's benefits with this chip. I have one and Never doubted my decision.

 

[Extelleron]

I always recommend people go with Q6600 > E8300/8400 but I myself went with the E8400.

The E8400 will be faster now, the Q6600 will be faster later (for games). For multi-tasking and multi-threaded apps, the Q6600 will be way faster. The E8400 will use less power. The E8400 is arguably more interesting to overclock because it is capable of 4GHz or more meanwhile the Q6600 tops out at 3.6GHz, with some of the newer (and crappy) batches not even getting to 3.6GHz without serious voltage.

If you're not overclocking, I'd say E8300/8400. A 2.4GHz C2D is not really ideal for the newest games IMO, at least paired with a high-end GPU. But a 3.0GHz 45nm C2D is going to be enough to power pretty much any card out there. Once you OC though, both a 3.6GHz C2Q and a 4.0GHz C2D are enough for any game/setup.